Hayri Demir
30 May 2024 - The prosecutor has requested prison sentences for 13 individuals who were detained during a commemoration for İbrahim Kaypakkaya in Ankara three years earlier.
In the ninth hearing at the Ankara 69th Criminal Court of First Instance, the defendants did not attend, and some defense attorneys submitted apologies for their absence. The prosecutor demanded that all 13 defendants be penalized for violating the "Law on Meetings and Demonstrations" (Law No. 2911). Additionally, one defendant, S.T., is also accused of "resisting to prevent the execution of duty."
Attorney Alican Şahin, present at the hearing, requested additional time to prepare a defense against the prosecutor's sentencing demands. The judge accepted the excuses and the request for more time, adjourning the trial.
The next hearing is scheduled for June 6 at 12:00 p.m., during which final defense statements will be made, and a verdict is expected to be reached.
Background:
İbrahim Kaypakkaya was a prominent figure in Turkey's leftist movement during the 1970s. Commemorative events in his honor are often subject to police intervention or are not permitted. On May 20, 2021, 13 people were detained during a memorial event. Subsequently, they were charged with "violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations" and "resisting to prevent the execution of duty."
